Gavin Newsom tests presidential waters in red states as California Democrats struggle to unite behind successor
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom is touring deep-red states (Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina) as part of a book tour widely seen as groundwork for a 2028 presidential bid, deliberately avoiding Democratic strongholds to broaden his appeal beyond California’s liberal base.
- While Newsom eyes national ambitions, California Democrats remain fractured over his successor, failing to endorse a single candidate at their convention. Rep. Eric Swalwell leads with just 24% support, while Republicans like Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco could advance under California’s top-two primary system.
- Newsom downplays any conflict with former VP Kamala Harris, another Californian with presidential aspirations, but their parallel red-state book tours suggest overlapping ambitions. Harris has also been campaigning in conservative regions, signaling a possible 2028 showdown.
- Newsom admits his son opposes a presidential run, urging him to spend more time at home—a personal hurdle that may influence his decision-making.
- Critics argue his governance—marked by rising homelessness, high taxes and regulatory burdens—makes him a weak national messenger. Despite California’s mass exodus, Newsom dismisses concerns as “California Derangement Syndrome,” avoiding accountability for policy failures.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking his political ambitions on the road, touring deep-red states as he lays the groundwork for a potential 2028 presidential bid while his own party back home remains fractured over who should succeed him in Sacramento.
Newsom, who is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027, launched a book tour—widely seen as a prelude to a national campaign—with stops in Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina, all states that voted decisively for President Donald Trump in 2024. His memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery,” serves as both a personal reflection and a political manifesto, positioning him as a Democrat willing to engage conservative America.
“For things to change, we have to change,” Newsom told a Nashville crowd last Friday, Feb. 20. “Society becomes how we behave. We are our behaviors.”
The tour, strategically bypassing traditional Democratic strongholds like New York and Washington, D.C., underscores Newsom’s ambition to expand his appeal beyond California’s liberal base. His political adviser, Lindsey Cobia, emphasized the intentionality behind the red-state focus: “We are being quite intentional in going into red states first.”
Yet Newsom’s national ambitions contrast sharply with the disarray within California’s Democratic Party, which failed to endorse a single candidate for governor at its recent convention. Nine contenders split delegate votes, with none reaching the 60% threshold required for party backing. Rep. Eric Swalwell led with 24% support, followed by former State Controller Betty Yee (17%) and former Attorney General Xavier Becerra (14%). Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, former Rep. Katie Porter and others trailed behind.
“I want to thank the California Democratic Party delegates for backing me to be California’s fighter and protector of working families,” Swalwell said. “Together, we’ll defend all Californians against Donald Trump and lower every family’s costs.”
Meanwhile, Yee pushed back against suggestions she should exit the race, posting on X: “Don’t underestimate the power of the grassroots. Don’t underestimate Betty Yee.”
The lack of consensus raises the possibility of two Republicans advancing to the general election under California’s top-two primary system. Former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are polling competitively, with Hilton leading at 17% in a recent Emerson College survey, while Swalwell and Bianco are tied at 14%.
Newsom and Harris on collision course
Newsom’s national aspirations could eventually collide with those of former Vice President Kamala Harris, another Californian with presidential ambitions. In a recent CNN interview, Newsom downplayed any potential rivalry, saying, “I’ve never gotten in the way of her ambition, ever. I haven’t. And I don’t imagine I would in the future.”
When pressed on a hypothetical 2028 matchup, Newsom deferred to fate: “Yeah, I just—that’s fate. I don’t—you know, you can only control what you can control.”
Harris, who opted against running for California governor, has been touring red states herself, promoting her book 107 Days—a memoir detailing her 2024 campaign. Their parallel book tours suggest both are eyeing the same electoral battlegrounds.
Despite his political momentum, Newsom admitted his family—particularly his son—has reservations about a presidential run. Recounting a text exchange, Newsom said his son told him: “Dad, are you running (for) president?… You can’t. And I said, why? He goes, ‘I’m too young. You need to spend more time with us.'”
“How do you deal with that one?” Newsom asked CNN’s Dana Bash, who echoed the question back. “Exactly—I’m asking you,” he replied with a smile.
Newsom’s gaslighting tour
Newsom’s tour isn’t just about personal ambition—it’s also a test of whether Democratic messaging can resonate in Republican strongholds. His team has framed the trip as an effort to boost down-ballot Democrats in House and state legislative races ahead of the midterms.
Yet critics argue Newsom’s California governance—marked by rising homelessness, high taxes and regulatory burdens—makes him a weak ambassador for national Democrats. His dismissive response to concerns about Californians fleeing the state—calling it “California Derangement Syndrome”—has done little to assuage skeptics.
According to BrightU.AI‘s Enoch, California – once the golden land of opportunity – is experiencing an unprecedented “mass exodus” as residents flee skyrocketing taxes, unaffordable housing, crumbling infrastructure and oppressive government policies. Yet, Newsom has consistently downplayed or dismissed these concerns, dismissing them as temporary fluctuations or exaggerations by political opponents.
The decentralized engine adds that Newsom’s dismissiveness isn’t ignorance—it’s calculated obfuscation. By gaslighting Californians, he avoids accountability for driving out taxpayers with oppressive regulations; letting cities burn to fund green agendas; and sacrificing public safety for political correctness.
As Newsom courts red-state voters and Harris extends her own Southern tour, the Democratic Party’s future leadership remains uncertain. With no clear successor in California and a fractured primary field, Newsom’s national ambitions may hinge on whether he can convince America that his brand of progressive politics can transcend coastal liberalism.
Watch this video about California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressing President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy Marines in the state.
This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
Sources include:
TheEpochTimes.com
Edition.CNN.com
Politico.com
Newsbreak.com
BrightU.ai
Brighteon.com
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